Ancient ; Sunga Kingdom (300-200 BC) ; Maurya-Sunga, Kaushambi Region

Description

Ancient ; Sunga Kingdom (300-200 BC) ; Maurya-Sunga, Kaushambi Region ;
Copper Kakani ; A Pair of coins joined together during the cascading process ;
Weight : 4.71 Grams ; Obv: an elephant looking left ; Rev: Three arched hill with crescent above
Note : The Shunga (sunga)) dynasty was a brahmin dynasty established in 185 BC about 50 years after Ashoka’s death, when the emperor Brihadratha Maurya, the last ruler of the Maurya Empire, was assassinated by his commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra Shunga, while he was reviewing the Guard of Honour of his forces. Pushyamitra Shunga then ascended to the throne.It controlled vast areas of the Indian subcontinent from around 187 to 78 BC.
Its capital was Pataliputra, but later emperors such as Bhagabhadra also held court at Besnagar (modern Vidisha) in eastern Malwa.Pushyamitra Shunga ruled for 36 years and was succeeded by his son Agnimitra. There were ten Shunga rulers(4 of note see below). The empire is noted for its numerous wars with both foreign and indigenous powers. They fought the Kalinga, the Satavahana dynasty, the Indo-Greek Kingdom and possibly the Panchalas and Mathuras.Art, education, philosophy, and other forms of learning flowered during this period including small terracotta images, larger stone sculptures, and architectural monuments such as the stupa at Bharhut, and the renowned Great Stupa at Sanchi. Shunga rulers helped to establish the tradition of royal sponsorship of learning and art. The script used by the empire was a variant of Brahmi script and was used to write Sanskrit.The Shunga Empire played an imperative role in patronizing culture at a time when some of the most important developments in Hindu thought were taking place. Artistry also progressed with the rise of the Mathura art style.The Kanva dynasty succeeded the Shungas.